5 Easy Snacks to Stock for the Summer

I don’t know about you, but life doesn’t really slow down for me in the summer. In MN, we definitely take advantage of the nice weather while it’s here.

And with three growing kids, we’re always on the go and needing quick snacks. It’s tempting to grab pretzels or crackers as we’re leaving the house, but I know those don’t stay with me and only lead to cravings for more food. I’ve had a few years of experience with low-fat carbs and have learned my lesson. 🙂

Here are the foods I’m keeping in my kitchen this summer. With these options, you can keep your energy up and enjoy the weather!

Nuts, Seeds and Trail Mix I love almonds, pistachios and pepitas (pumpkin seeds). My kids love cashews and peanuts. I go for the raw or dry-roasted varieties and always unsalted. I keep nuts and seeds in containers that are easy for my kids to pop open in the pantry. We also make a lot of homemade trail mix by adding in raisins, dried mango, coconut flakes and when they’re really lucky, chocolate!

Power Bites You have to think ahead a little on this one, but I like to make these and have them ready to go in the fridge or freezer. Make a big batch and you can grab one or two at a time. Take a few minutes to make them over the weekend and they will last you all week. You’ll be happy you did! Try homemade larabars, sunflower brownie bites, or lemon bar bites. The combo of nuts or seeds with some dried fruit will carry you until your next meal.

Fresh Fruit There’s no time better than summer for fresh fruit! Keep berries or other favorites ready to grab. Bonus – add a handful of almonds or spoonful of peanut butter and you’ll be set!

Hard-boiled Eggs Eggs go beyond breakfast! They can be an easy afternoon snack too. Make a few over the weekend, and you can peel them ahead of time for a more portable snack. I’ve even seen peeled, hardboiled organic eggs at Costco!

Smoothie My go-to breakfast is also a favorite snack. You can make a few and store them in mason jars in the fridge or freezer (just take one out of the freezer to thaw at a time). Or, make it even easier on yourself, keep a shaker cup with you and an individual packet of protein powder. Add water and you’re done. This is my favorite to always have in my purse in case of snacking emergencies. I’m not super picky about taste though. If protein powders aren’t your thing, you’ll want to make up smoothies with nut butters or hemp seeds ahead of time.

A couple store-bought finds that I love are Larabars (bar with real food ingredients!), individual packages of hummus (I found an organic variety at Costco the other day), and organic string cheese (for my kids… dairy and I don’t get along!).

Another tip is to keep veggies cut up and ready to go. It takes some planning, but you will feel so much better eating these real food snacks than you will grabbing empty-calorie pretzels or sugar-filled granola bars.